Since 1985, sophisticated "situational awareness" and "pursuit driver training" has been taught to all officers on the Toronto Police Service. Police Vehicle Operations is responsible for basic and advanced training on scout cars, motorcycle's, A.T.V.'s, prisoner transportation vehicles, mobile community stations and bicycles. In addition, the instructors at P.V.O. assist field trainers in the delivery and training of specialized vehicles such as the Mounted Unit's four-horse trailer and truck combination.

PVO also works with Fleet Management in testing and evaluating potential new vehicles for our Service. Unit reps have attended manufacturer's demonstrations and tests of "police package equipped" production vehicles all across North America to ensure that the vehicles we purchase meet our specific needs.

The offices for Police Vehicle Operations are located within the Jane Street Garage compound. There, members receive refresher classroom courses on the theory of vehicle operation, and moving-vehicle dynamics. Included are lectures on safe driving practices such as defensive driving, collision avoidance, the "four functions of police driving" and the "the strategy for manoeuvring a vehicle safely". When all of this information has been digested, the officers proceed to our track facilities where they put into practice what they have learned. The required driving modalities are conducted on an abandoned aircraft runway, that was converted to an enclosed track in the mid 1980's.

Graduates of the PVO driving courses often remark that they are among the most valuable courses offered by our Service. The lessons and skills acquired here make better drivers on and off the job. Seven hundred and sixty-seven students received some form of advanced driver training through Police Vehicle Operations in 1999.